thinking, language, and intelligence

Question 1

what are concepts?

Answer 1

mental groupings of similar objects, events, ideas, or people

Question 2

how are concepts used in our thinking?

Answer 2

they simplify thinking by letting us categorize information efficiently

Question 3

what is a prototype?

Answer 3

the best or more typical example of a concept

Question 4

how does a prototype relate to concept formation?

Answer 4

concepts form around prototypes

Question 5

what is trial and error?

Answer 5

trying various solutions until one works

Question 6

what are algorithms?

Answer 6

step by step, logical procedures that guarantee a solution

Question 7

what are heuristics?

Answer 7

mental short cuts or rules of thumb

Question 8

what is insight?

Answer 8

a sudden aha realization of a problem’s solution

Question 9

what is confirmation bias?

Answer 9

the tendency to search for information that confirms our beliefs and ignore contradictory evidence

Question 10

what is fixation?

Answer 10

the inability to see a problem from a new perspective

Question 11

what is functional fixedness?

Answer 11

seeing objects as only having their traditional use

Question 12

what is the representative heuristic?

Answer 12

judging something based on how well it matches a prototype

Question 13

how can the representative heuristic lead to making errors in judgement?

Answer 13

for example, assuming someone quiet and bookish is a librarian and not a salesperson

Question 14

what is overconfidence?

Answer 14

overestimating the accuracy of one’s beliefs or judgements

Question 15

what is framing?

Answer 15

the way an issue is presented

Question 16

how does framing affect our judgements?

Answer 16

the way an issue is presented affects decisions and judgements

Question 17

how much should intuitive judgements be trusted?

Answer 17

intuition can be useful, but it is often biased and error-prone. use it cautiously and combine it with evidence-based reasoning

Question 18

what cognitive skills have been demonstrated in animals?

Answer 18

concept formation, insight, problem solving, communication

Question 19

describe the babbling stage

Answer 19

occurs at 4-6 months with spontaneous words

Question 20

describe the one word stage

Answer 20

occurs at 12 months with single words with meaning

Question 21

describe the two word stage

Answer 21

occurs at 24 months with simple combinations

Question 22

describe the longer phrase stage

Answer 22

occurs at 2+ years with rapid language growth and full sentences

Question 23

what is a critical period?

Answer 23

early in life when language learning is easiest

Question 24

what is the research evidence that a critical period exists?

Answer 24

children not exposed to language before puberty rarely achieve full fluency

Question 25

what is aphasia?

Answer 25

a language impairment caused by brain damage, often to Broca's or Wernicke's areas

Question 26

what is the role of Broca's area?

Answer 26

speech production (left frontal lobe)

Question 27

what is the role of Wernicke's area?

Answer 27

language comprehension (left temporal lobe)

Question 28

what is the role of the visual cortex?

Answer 28

read written words

Question 29

what is the role of the motor cortex?

Answer 29

controls muscles used in speech

Question 30

what is Spearman's general intelligence (g)?

Answer 30

a single general intelligence underlies all mental abilities

Question 31

what is factor analysis?

Answer 31

a statistical method of identifying clusters of related items

Question 32

how was factor analysis used to develop an understanding of intelligence?

Answer 32

used to show that various mental abilities correlate, supporting Spearman's g

Question 33

what is the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of intelligence?

Answer 33

fluid intelligence (Gf) is reasoning and problem solving, crystallized intelligence (Gc) is accumulated knowledge and skills

Question 34

what is the evidence for the predictive validity of g?

Answer 34

g correlates with academic success, job performance, and income, showing predictive validity

Question 35

what is emotional intelligence?

Answer 35

the ability to perceive, understand, manage, and use emotions effectively

Question 36

how was the Stanford-Binet IQ test developed?

Answer 36

developed by Lewis Terman from Binet's original test to measure intelligence using an IQ score

Question 37

what is the formula to calculate an intelligence quotient?

Answer 37

IQ =(mental age / chronological age) * 100

Question 38

what areas of intelligence are tested by the WAIS?

Answer 38

verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, processing speed

Question 39

what is reliability?

Answer 39

the consistency of test results across time or items

Question 40

what is validity?

Answer 40

whether a test measures what it claims to measure

Question 41

what do twin and adoption studies tell us about the heritability of IQ?

Answer 41

identical twins have highly similar IQs even when raised apart, showing a strong genetic influence. adoption studies show environmental effects early on, especially in neglected children

Question 42

how does the environment influence IQ?

Answer 42

extreme poverty, neglect, or malnutrition can depress IQ. enriched environments and early education can raise IQ modestly

Question 43

what does it mean for a test to be biased?

Answer 43

a test is biased if it systematically disadvantages certain groups due to cultural or linguistic factors, not true ability

Question 44

what can we conclude about the reliability and validity of IQ tests?

Answer 44

IQ tests are generally highly reliable and valid predictors of academic performance

Question 45

what can we conclude about the extent to which IQ tests are biased?

Answer 45

they are not strongly biased in predictive outcomes when properly administered